Selected Benchmarks For Material Non-Linearity- Volume 1

This document provides details of 10 benchmark tests for finite
element assemblies modelling non-linear material behaviour with
small deformations. Its aim is to provide a compendium of simple,
authoritatively documented tests covering the more common types of
material non-linear phenomena encountered in industrial practise.
Emphasis is on a quasi-static small-displacement small-strain
continuum behaviour of ductile metals.

Collectively the tests may be used for a number of purposes
including:

To check the ability of a finite element program to produce
acceptable solutions to problems involving material non-linearity.

To exercise a program’s ability to model physical behaviour.

To educate inexperienced users about the potential pitfalls and
difficulties that may arise when modelling non-linear phenomena.

The overall philosophy has been to select problems with a clear
industrial relevance, which can be modelled satisfactorily with the
capabilities of robust general purpose commercial codes and which,
moreover, are both physically simple and computational undemanding.
The problems have been drawn from an earlier survey, but in most
instances have been “tuned” to make them more
discriminating or to improve their clarity and ease of
interpretation.

The document is, quite deliberately, fairly concise. Essential
details of each test are provided in a standard format in Section
4, which is intended to be self-explanatory. However, some further
information covering the organisation and background of the various
tests given in Section 2. A companion volume to this report [Ref.
1] gives more details about the development of the tests and
provides more complete details of the solutions.